Real Annie

I'm talking to your dad
We're standing outside your house
I'm looking in through your window
And you seem to be having a hard time with your blouse
But you're having a hard time with everything these days
Your grandma said: Annie, they'll take you away
If you put just one more hole into your ear or saying in your skin

Something thoughtful, but off the cuff
We both know that you could neither stick nor poke quite hard enough
To keep a well-read phrase defined for longer than a few hot showers' time
The blood and ink danced a ballet around the drain

Your restlessness abides
It keeps you lukewarm at night
One eye on your clock, four minutes fast
To be sure your promptness shimmers unsurpassed
Steady sinking feeling, doing well concealing
Never so distracted as you are

And I said: Mr. Edward, it's good to see you again
I hope everything is alright with the councilman
I hear on the news all the time he can be a real jerk
But anyway, I'll see you next time you're home early from work